The National tribune., 1887-09-22
A PRACTICAL VIEW OF THE EIGHT
DOLLAR QUESTION.

friends who are so strenuously advocating
the adoption Of an So service pension bill,
and who have found occasion TO criticize
the attitude of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
upon pension matters.
First, we wish TO reterate in all serious
ness, MS we have done hundred times be-
fore, that we are not opposed on principle to
the s. pension proposition. On the con-
trary, if il were possible TO secure its enact
ment by Congress, and if the Government
had the money TO pay the expense of the
roll, we should advocate the measure.
Our objections TO the proposition are
based solely upon its imprdcticabiliiy.
The Editor of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE,
living at the Capital of The United States,
where Congress assemblies, has taken occa-
sion repeatedly TO obtain the views of lead
ing Members Of both Houses upon The ques-
tion, and is convinced that Congress cannot
be induced TO pass so sweeping measure
now. We have therefore considered il wiser,
on the score Of humanity 10 those who need
aid and assistance to-day, to advocate as
strenuously MS lay in cur power the passage
Of such measures as presented reasonable
prospect Of success We have deemed it
nothing short OF cruelty TO comrades who
are lingering in want and long disability,
year after year, TO embarrass the enactment
OF measures which would result in their
relief by bringing forward and advocating
the passage Of law which we knew before.
hand could not possibly be carried through
at this time.
To do il would be dishonest
So much for the temper Of Congress.
There is another view of the case which
we wish calmly TO suggest to every thinking
man who is interested in the subject.
AT this time the number of surviving pen
sioners who would be placed on the roll
under the proposition advanced by the advo-
Gates of the service pension is so great that
the Federal Treasury could not meet the de-
mands upon it without providing increased
revenue by new measures Of taxation. This
may I've surprising 10 the believers in the SIS
proposition, and it may be necessary in
order 10 convince them of the correctness Of
our position, 10 present some statistics which
we have been at pains to procure from the
best sources possible, and whose correctness
we believe TO be unassailable.
TO begin with, il is estimated at the Pen
sion Bureau from the best information al the
command Of the Government officials, that
there are surviving to-day 100000 Union
veterans. The report Of the Commissioner
of Pensions just issued shows that there are
now upon the rolls, receiving pensions of
various grades, 277,726 Union soldiers. This
leaves, therefore, in round numbers, a little
above 100000 survivors Of The war who are
not to-day receiving a pension of any kind.
To pension this / 100000 soldiers under the
IS bin would require in round numbers
S96O00,00O per annum to be added TO the
amount now disbursed annually 10y the Gov
eminent.
Another element enters the case which is
equally worthy Of consideration. The best
estimates Obtainable place the number of
soldiers widows not on the pension-rolls
to-day at the enormous figure Of 100000.
Now, it is true that the advocates Of the Ss
universal pension bin have never proposed to
include soldiers widows IT is charitable TO
believe, however, that this is simply an over
sight, for we are unwilling 10 think that the
soldiers Of the country would seriously de-
sire, and if possible secure, the adoption OF
ameasure providing pensions for themselves,
and willluly omit the widows Of dead COM
rades. Should the S. bill ever become a law
then il must necessarily include, as has been
the case in all ether service-pension laws,
the surviving widows as well as surviving
veterans themselves Adding the widows
then TO the number OF surviving veterans,
and we have in round numbers 1 400 900
persons who would be pensionable under the
service pension proposition. AT Ss month
this increase TO the pension roll of the
country would cost $f34, 400, coo. The
annual value of the pension roll as shown by
the report of the Commissioner Of Pensions
is not far from S75,OOOOOO now, including
the arrears upon claims allowed continually
in cases filed before the date Of Limitation Of
the arrears act. We should then have 9
pension list swelled 20 the enormous annual
value of 5000, 100000 should tn,
seryice-pension bill become law.
The surplus revenues of the Government
are now approximately 500 100000 year
or some SS;S4 600, 600 less than the pro
posed increase of the roll by the advocates
of the SO service-pension bill.
How is this demand 10 be met? Obyi
ously by measures for increased taxation
by acts of Congress which would swell tn
4 If sl,a